The Conservative Cave
Interests => Around the House & In the Garage => Topic started by: BEG on January 12, 2010, 12:13:14 PM
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My husband has been in Vegas last week, came back sunday. Left yesterday for China, wont get back until this coming sunday. When I came in from the doctor about 45 minutes ago I noticed a sound. Looked all over the place and couldn't find where it was coming from. Then I decided to go outside and see if it was the hot water heater and sure enough, it's coming from the hot water heater. It sounds like a timer only louder. At least it is outside (it's in a "closet" with a door outside, the water softener right next to it) so if it is going to blow it wont ruin anything in the house.
Anyone know what it could be? It sounds like a timer my mom had a long time ago (in the 70's).
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Mine is electric so no idea what it could be unless somehow an element was shorting out.
If gas wonder if it is the igniter for the pilot light if they even use those still.
Probably wrong on either,only a guess.
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Mine is electric so no idea what it could be unless somehow an element was shorting out.
If gas wonder if it is the igniter for the pilot light if they even use those still.
Probably wrong on either,only a guess.
It's gas but it isn't the same sound as it makes when you are pushing the igniter to light it. I hate it when my husband is gone. I admit I can't fix anything. Except ONCE my sink got clogged with macaroni. I tried plunging, etc. Didn't work. My husband was out of town yet AGAIN and I had to take care of it myself. I took the trap off it, cleaned it out (GAG) and put it back on. I was so proud of myself but that is the only thing I have ever fixed above lifting the back of the toilet and rehooking the chain on the floater deal.
Oh I have backwashed the pool once when we lived in Dallas and I didn't like it. At all. I would starve if I had to do manual labor.
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Don't watch either of these videos. :evillaugh:
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmJoyuUJj2Q[/youtube]
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGWmONHipVo[/youtube]
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It's gas, BEG.....call the utility company and ask them if it's some thing to be concerned with. Then call a repairman.
After the house up the road a piece....blew into a gazillion pieces in the middle of the night...I'm not taking any chances on anything that uses natural gas to operate. I'd rather spend the $100 to be told it's nothing.
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It's gas, BEG.....call the utility company and ask them if it's some thing to be concerned with. Then call a repairman.
After the house up the road a piece....blew into a gazillion pieces in the middle of the night...I'm not taking any chances on anything that uses natural gas to operate. I'd rather spend the $100 to be told it's nothing.
I did not want anyone to tell me that. I don't like handling things like this. I like to have my husband handle stuff like this. I would so suck being a single woman.
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I would call someone. Really. Have you noticed if you have hot water? I believe that most, if not all gas waters heaters have safety valves to prevent explosions, but I would still get it checked out. Deb is right.
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Ok Deb, I called the gas company. They can't get anyone out here until next TUESDAY....WTF? I couldn't smell any gas and there isn't any water leaking so I guess it isn't an emergency. I called our home warranty deal and they assigned someone to come out and take a look. I am waiting for them to call to set up an appointment. Now I'm afraid it is going to explode before anyone calls me back. :( The water is heating up, it's not leaking and I can't smell gas but it sounds like a ticking time bomb. It never goes off, I can hear it in the study even though it is outside, two rooms and a hallway away. When I was talking to the gas person she asked me what it sounded like, I explained then held the phone up so she could hear. She said she could hear it. Anyway, I will update after the person comes out to check it out.
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I am glad you have someone coming out. You did the right thing. I hope all works out well for you.
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It sounds like the spark igniter, one of those automatic igniters that's piezo-electric is not igniting the gas to the hot water heater or of it is igniting the gas, the flame sensor isn't working properly and turning off the igniter after the flame has been lit.
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It sounds like the spark igniter, one of those automatic igniters that's piezo-electric is not igniting the gas to the hot water heater or of it is igniting the gas, the flame sensor isn't working properly and turning off the igniter after the flame has been lit.
Is there any way I can check that with out blowing myself up?
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Is there any way I can check that with out blowing myself up?
It's pretty safe to check, but the problem is that one needs to know what the different pieces are. If it's a flame sensor, it's probably just dirty or corroded, depending on what type it is. That's usually the case. I don't think that this would be a job for you, no offense intended or implied. Then there's the parts acquisition thing, which can prove to be problematic because I don't think that these parts are available at Home Depot or Lowe's. (They could be, I just have never looked for them)
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This might help:
http://forum.doityourself.com/water-heaters/221664-5-year-old-o-smith-50-gal-gas-water-heater-wont-heat-regularly.html
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Maybe there's a little gnome trapped inside the tank, and he is tapping on it with his little hammer.
(http://goremasterfx.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/nightmare-at-20000-feet.jpg)
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Maybe there's a little gnome trapped inside the tank, and he is tapping on it with his little hammer.
(http://goremasterfx.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/nightmare-at-20000-feet.jpg)
LOL now I am afraid to go to sleep tonight.
I called the plumber that I was waiting on to call me and spoke to the person who was scheduled to come out tomorrow. To make a long embarrassing story short (as I don't know what a valve or anything is so it was quite comical) he told me to unplug the recirculating pump and the sound turned off. I didn't know what a recirculating pump was, he told me what it was after I unplugged it.
We will just have to wait for hot water a little longer than usual when we take a shower until he comes out tomorrow. I'm not going to let him sell me anything until my husband is home and let him make the decision. I don't like messing with this stuff . :p
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Is there any way I can check that with out blowing myself up?
If you listen to Thor, the repair man will think you know what your talking about enough not to try to take advantage of you. Happens to everyone. I think the laptop thread I posted shows that very well. heh.
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LOL now I am afraid to go to sleep tonight.
I called the plumber that I was waiting on to call me and spoke to the person who was scheduled to come out tomorrow. To make a long embarrassing story short (as I don't know what a valve or anything is so it was quite comical) he told me to unplug the recirculating pump and the sound turned off. I didn't know what a recirculating pump was, he told me what it was after I unplugged it.
We will just have to wait for hot water a little longer than usual when we take a shower until he comes out tomorrow. I'm not going to let him sell me anything until my husband is home and let him make the decision. I don't like messing with this stuff . :p
If it's the plumber that the Home Warranty company is sending out...you will only have to pay the deductible fee which should be somewhere between $50-100.
The home warranty will pay for anything else....that's why you have it.
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3,2,1... liftoff!
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3,2,1... liftoff!
Shush!
You'll scare the shit out of her!!!!
:hammer: :hammer: :hammer: :hammer:
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If it's the plumber that the Home Warranty company is sending out...you will only have to pay the deductible fee which should be somewhere between $50-100.
The home warranty will pay for anything else....that's why you have it.
a service call is $60. I responded once and my phone froze. :censored:
Anyway, I'm afraid he will try to sell me a tankless water heater because he mentioned that I might need a new water heater (specifically a tankless) even though when I unplugged the recirculation pump the ticking sound went away. The home warrant won't buy me a new water heater if it's the recirculation pump. I just don't want to deal with a high pressure sales attempt.
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a service call is $60. I responded once and my phone froze. :censored:
Anyway, I'm afraid he will try to sell me a tankless water heater because he mentioned that I might need a new water heater (specifically a tankless) even though when I unplugged the recirculation pump the ticking sound went away. The home warrant won't buy me a new water heater if it's the recirculation pump. I just don't want to deal with a high pressure sales attempt.
Tankless ones are very expensive aren't they?? Yup, go in for an oil change and they tell you the whole motor needs to be changed.
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It sounds like the spark igniter, one of those automatic igniters that's piezo-electric is not igniting the gas to the hot water heater or of it is igniting the gas, the flame sensor isn't working properly and turning off the igniter after the flame has been lit.
Could be the thermocouple too! Depending on how old the water heater is! Or the flame sensor...those things go out if they have the tiniest crack in the porcelain bottom.
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Deb's right. Your home warranty sets the parameters as to what can be done, so you don't need to worry with a sales pitch. They get their $$ from the Warranty place, not you. That is how my buddies had to deal with a faulty AC unit for 3 years, because the Warranty wouldn't approve a replacement. This year they got it. The Warranty they kept paying for paid for it. Not the peeps.
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I don't know about water heaters with recirc pumps, but it makes sense to me that the recirc pump is separate from the water heat, even though it might be attached. If you're getting hot water, although it may take a minute, I'd refuse any attempts at them replacing the water heater and contact the Home Warranty company about deceptive sales schemes by the service man. At this point, I'd like to think that you're safe, just inconvenienced.
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If your recirc pump looks similar to this:
(http://www.plumbingsupply.com/images/laing-uct-909-tankless-recirculation-pump.jpg)
You should be just fine. Bear in mind it may not be identical.
It should be set up similar to this:
(http://www.chilipepperapp.com/images/circsys.gif)
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I don't know about water heaters with recirc pumps, but it makes sense to me that the recirc pump is separate from the water heat, even though it might be attached. If you're getting hot water, although it may take a minute, I'd refuse any attempts at them replacing the water heater and contact the Home Warranty company about deceptive sales schemes by the service man. At this point, I'd like to think that you're safe, just inconvenienced.
Thanks Thor, that is what I plan on doing. I do still get hot water and it took a little longer to get hot water up in my bathroom sink when I washed my face a little while ago but not a huge difference. Since the recirculation pump gets hot water to the sinks and showers quicker (which in turn saves water), I don't understand how the hot water bypasses the pump when the water goes through the pump. I guess I don't need to understand as I am but a woman who isn't ashamed to say that I'm glad God made men to fix things like this.
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Recirc hot water pumps? Sheesh.
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If your recirc pump looks similar to this:
(http://www.plumbingsupply.com/images/laing-uct-909-tankless-recirculation-pump.jpg)
You should be just fine. Bear in mind it may not be identical.
It should be set up similar to this:
(http://www.chilipepperapp.com/images/circsys.gif)
Fancy schmancy!
My bathtub and kitchen sink are both pretty close to right over the water heater, so they get hot water fast. The bath sink takes a little longer. Seems like a recirculation system like that might save you a little bit of water, at the expense of lost water heat when you aren't using it, and electricity.
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Recirc pumps makes sense when one lives in a controlled water zone where there is little water to waste. People let the faucet run until the hot water is available. When I was in MN, it took a good solid minute, may be more for it to get to temp. That's at least 2 gallons, maybe more, that's been wasted.
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Recirc pumps makes sense when one lives in a controlled water zone where there is little water to waste. People let the faucet run until the hot water is available. When I was in MN, it took a good solid minute, may be more for it to get to temp. That's at least 2 gallons, maybe more, that's been wasted.
That is why I am looking at a little water heater, the kind that go under the kitchen sink. My hot water heater is ALL the way over on the other side of the house, by the bathrooms.
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Recirc pumps makes sense when one lives in a controlled water zone where there is little water to waste. People let the faucet run until the hot water is available. When I was in MN, it took a good solid minute, may be more for it to get to temp. That's at least 2 gallons, maybe more, that's been wasted.
In one house I lived in, we kept a two gallon bucket by the bathtub. We would fill the bucket while waiting for the water to heat up, and leave it there for the cats to drink from through the day. Then before then next bath, we would either use the previous bucket of water to flush the toilet, or to water one of the hydrangeas outside. Then refill for the next bath.
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In one house I lived in, we kept a two gallon bucket by the bathtub. We would fill the bucket while waiting for the water to heat up, and leave it there for the cats to drink from through the day. Then before then next bath, we would either use the previous bucket of water to flush the toilet, or to water one of the hydrangeas outside. Then refill for the next bath.
I do that in my kitchen, and use the water to feed the dog, or houseplants.
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Ok so they came out. When he plugged it in at first it didn't make noise. I felt like a fool. Then he told me to go turn on the hot water in a sink and then it started making the noise. He looked closer and noticed that it was set to work all the time instead of around the time you usually get up and take a shower and in the evening so you can have hot water immediately when you are washing dishes. Then he decided to take it off and look at it and it was filled to the brim with calcium deposits. He said that was why it was making the noise. We have a water softener and he said that it shouldn't have gotten that bad with the water softener but it might have been installed before they got the water softener because the water softener looked less than a couple of years old.
He was WONDERFUL. He kinda flirted with me too. :-) He didn't try to sell me anything. It is now up and running just like it should. He told me that my hot water heater is probably a bout 40 years old, I knew it had to be well over 25 years old if not older. :o We will probably have to buy a new one sometime soon.
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Ok so they came out. When he plugged it in at first it didn't make noise. I felt like a fool. Then he told me to go turn on the hot water in a sink and then it started making the noise. He looked closer and noticed that it was set to work all the time instead of around the time you usually get up and take a shower and in the evening so you can have hot water immediately when you are washing dishes. Then he decided to take it off and look at it and it was filled to the brim with calcium deposits. He said that was why it was making the noise. We have a water softener and he said that it shouldn't have gotten that bad with the water softener but it might have been installed before they got the water softener because the water softener looked less than a couple of years old.
He was WONDERFUL. He kinda flirted with me too. :-) He didn't try to sell me anything. It is now up and running just like it should. He told me that my hot water heater is probably a bout 40 years old, I knew it had to be well over 25 years old if not older. :o We will probably have to buy a new one sometime soon.
Wow, I've never known a water heater to last THAT long. Ten years max.
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The previous homeowners must have drained it out every six months and/ or the water there has few minerals.
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He was WONDERFUL. He kinda flirted with me too. :-) He didn't try to sell me anything.
at least it wasn't a mailman like the Peanut Primitive
40 year old water heater?? good lord!!
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at least it wasn't a mailman like the Peanut Primitive
40 year old water heater?? good lord!!
Holy Schnikies! Glad you called the dood!
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Wow, I've never known a water heater to last THAT long. Ten years max.
I know. I should go out and take a picture and show you guys. It is OLD.
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The previous homeowners must have drained it out every six months and/ or the water there has few minerals.
The water here is VERY hard. I don't know how it has lasted this long.
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at least it wasn't a mailman like the Peanut Primitive
40 year old water heater?? good lord!!
He had tattoo's all over his arms and was rather cute. I can totally picture him in an old truck like this:
(http://image.streetrodderweb.com/f/10284552/0806sr_02_z+painting_faux_patina+street_rods.jpg)
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He had tattoo's all over his arms and was rather cute. I can totally picture him in an old truck like this:
(http://image.streetrodderweb.com/f/10284552/0806sr_02_z+painting_faux_patina+street_rods.jpg)
::)
nice truck
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::)
nice truck
What's with the rolly eyes? You jelly? :-)
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What's with the rolly eyes? You jelly? :-)
:whatever:
maybe.. heh
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The previous homeowners must have drained it out every six months and/ or the water there has few minerals.
I don't recall having a lot of problems with water hardness. Guess it varies.
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I don't recall having a lot of problems with water hardness. Guess it varies.
The guy who came out said our area has VERY hard water. You should have seen all the crap built up inside the circulation pump (and we have a water softener). I thought we had hard water in Dallas, I have never seen water as hard as it is here. But then again I have only lived in Omaha (but I was too young to notice the water hardness), Tulsa, Phoenix, Lake Havasu City, Dallas and then finally Orange County, CA.
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I'm really glad he was able to fix. 40 years! Maintenance pays.